EM7455 engineering sample? Non up-gradable firmware

IoT Modules MC/EM Series
1

Hello everyone,

I have EM7455 module branded for Dell - DWe5811e. And it has very strange pecularities:

  • firmware version is SWI9X30C_00.08.02.00 r1706 carmd-fwbuild4 2015/03/10 08:07:02
  • it doesn’t support a bunch of AT command. AT!BOOTHOLD command - !BOOTHOLD: NOT IMPLEMENTED.
  • firmware can’t be upgraded. Details are below
  • it has ??? revision in Device IDs - USB\VID_413C&PID_81B6&REV_???&MI_00

Is there any chance that it is an engineering sample?

Technical details:
Output from ATI command:

“NOT IMPLEMENTED” AT commands:

AT commands with ERROR output:

Output from FDT - Firmware 9999999_9904609_SWI9X30C_02.08.02.00_00_GENERIC_002.007_000.exe:

Output from FDT - Firmware 9999999_9904609_SWI9X30C_02.24.03.00_00_GENERIC_002.021_000.exe:

2

If it is branded Dell then it is going to be from one of their laptops which will have specific firmware and settings for them. It cannot be modified or safely changed in any way regardless of whether it is an early sample or not.

Regards

Matt

3

I saw examples of successful conversion Dell branded modules to Generic. It can be done by changing PID&VID.
Also, usually it’s possible to flash generic firmware to branded module.

My main goal is to know whether it is engineering sample and return to the seller if it is.

4

If its got FCC ID’s and CE marks on the label then its probably current, otherwise I do not know what the PC OEM group labels show.

Re the successful conversion, you might be able to change the VID/PID but you do not know what has been set in NV to know if it is the same as a standard unit.

Regards

Matt

5

Dell has different label. On the board itself it has something like “RU”, “MV11”, “94V-0” and “0-22-2” near the antennas and “0465 236084”, “B” near connector.

Another bit of information:

6

Your firmware is very old. It’s possible that AT!USBVID and AT!USBPID commands are not available. Try AT!UDPID and AT!UDVID instead.

7

Yes, thank you, AT!UDPID and AT!UDVID work.
But anyway I can’t upgrade firmware. I suppose that it’s because of unsupported !BOOTHOLD command.

Where I can look, which firmware version should be on final devices?

8

Maybe this will work for you:

sigquit.wordpress.com/2016/12/0 … th-libqmi/

9

AT!BOOTHOLD isn’t the only way to request a FW upgrade; actually in the EM7455 you’ll want to trigger a “QMI DMS Set Firmware Preference” command specifying the details of the FW image you want to download to the module, and if the module doesn’t have it already (or if forced to download) you’ll get in boot & hold mode waiting for the new images to be downloaded.

10

fs1, aleksander0m, thank you.
Finally I was able to flash latest firmware - 2.24.03.00.
It was done using different command then specified in the package

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